Choosing a TV or projector for that special room

We get asked all the time, “What is better for my room, a large flat screen TV or a projector?” Our answer is this – it depends on many factors, including how close you will be sitting, what you plan to watch (movies, sport, 3D etc), what your budget is and most importantly the size and environment of the room being used.

When considering which to use, many factors play an important role in deciding.

The typical size for a projector screen is 100 inches (which is approx 2.5m wide). If you plan on watching movies or sport most of the time it is always going to look better on a big screen, however if you plan on watching TV nightly it would be more cost effective for a large screen TV like a plasma, LCD or LED. The typical size for a normal TV (plasma, LCD or LED) is 55’’.

Most projectors come with a limited bulb life (usually around 2500 hrs of viewing time). This should not be a problem if the projector is used for mainly watching movies and special events. To put this into perspective if you were to watch 5 movies a week (average 10 hrs) that would be 5 years average bulb life and the bulbs range from $250 – $400. Projectors also need small maintenance occasionally to clean out the filters and re align to the screen. The modern TV has approximately 100 000 + hrs of viewing time. TV’s are also a popular choice due to versatility as they are easy to move from place to place.

When considering purchasing a projector there is more than just the one component. You will need a screen to project the picture on to, amplifier and speakers for audio and also means to connect the devices which you plan to use such as; Foxtel, Digital Set Top box, Blu Ray player and gaming consoles. The size and quality of the picture a projector provides usually makes it well worth it, but this can sometimes be a costly option by the time you add all the components up.

Budget is another big factor in choosing the best solution for your Home Theatre room. We quite often recommend to clients who are building new houses to pre wire their home theatre room and anywhere else in the house they want audio visual. This saves further expenses later on if they decide to expand their home theatre or audio systems, or their exisiting components can be utilised if they do not wish to further install or until a later decision is made.

So when choosing between a TV or projector system both have their pro’s and con’s depending on your requirements. You need to weigh up your individual circumstances, wants and needs. Projectors are great for that large family / home theatre room where you desire that full on theatre feeling or they can also be utilised in other rooms around the house including outside entertaining areas. TV’s also have their benefits if you require general TV viewing, ease of use and the ability to move from place to place.

Universal Home Theatre offer a free in home consultation where we will ask all the questions and point out the pros and cons. We will also see what components you already have that may be able to be utilised in the final system.